JP4714920B2 - Vapor deposition material supply apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for automatically supplying a deposition material to an evaporation source used for vacuum deposition.

Vacuum vapor deposition is a film forming method in which a vapor deposition material is evaporated and the vapor deposition material is deposited on a substrate surface in a state where the inside of the vacuum chamber is evacuated to a high vacuum region in advance, and is applied to various fields.
In a film deposition system using vacuum vapor deposition, when the substrate is continuously processed in-line or when a thick film is deposited on the substrate surface, the means for supplying new vapor deposition material after opening the vacuum chamber to atmospheric pressure Since there is a problem in work efficiency and film formation accuracy, a mechanism for automatically supplying a new vapor deposition material while maintaining a high vacuum state is generally used.

  FIG. 5 shows a vapor deposition material supply mechanism as an example, which is called a vibration feeder. The mechanism shown in FIG. 2 causes the granular vapor deposition material accommodated in the tank 40 to flow into the parts feeder unit 41 by opening the stopper, and the granular vapor deposition material is raised spirally by applying vibration for a certain period of time. The granular deposition material is caused to flow out through the outside.

In addition, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional vapor deposition material supply mechanism. Patent Document 1 is an evaporant supply device to a resistance heating evaporation source, which has an evaporant replenishment preparation passage, a discharge passage, and a transfer passage inside, and uses an arm, a rotational drive mechanism, a transfer rod, and a piston rod. Then, one of the plurality of evaporates arranged in the replenishment preparation passage is discharged to the evaporation source.
Japanese Patent No. 3510336

Since the vibration feeder is a mechanism for transferring the granular deposition material by vibration for a certain time, there is a problem that the supply amount is not constant.
If the supply amount is not constant, there arises a problem that the film forming conditions are not stable. Since the evaporation amount from the evaporation source depends on the melting area of the vapor deposition material, the film forming rate changes depending on the supply amount of the vapor deposition material. In the resistance heating evaporation source, since the resistance value of the entire boat differs depending on the amount of vapor deposition material on the boat, the flowing current value changes even when the same power is supplied. If there is a variation in the supply amount of the vapor deposition material, the power condition at the start of film formation also changes, and the vapor deposition rate in the first half of the film formation becomes unstable. Furthermore, if the supply amount varies, the amount of vapor deposition material used cannot be confirmed, and there is a problem in terms of material management.
Moreover, in the mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1, since a solid vapor deposition material is supplied, quantitative supply is possible, but there is a problem that a large amount of vapor deposition material cannot be supplied. If the amount of vapor deposition material that can be mounted on the mechanism is small, there is a problem in productivity and work efficiency.
An object of the present invention is to propose a vapor deposition material supply mechanism that mounts a large volume of vapor deposition material and supplies it in a fixed amount.

  A first aspect of the present invention is a vapor deposition material supply apparatus for a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus for depositing a vapor deposition material disposed in a vacuum chamber on a substrate surface, and at least one of a plurality of quantitatively formed vapor deposition materials is stacked. One container, receiving means for receiving at least one deposition material dropped by opening the bottom surface of the container, dropping means for dropping the received deposition material by opening the bottom surface of the receiving means, and housing means; Opening of the bottom surface of the container when the relative position of the container with respect to the container means is at a predetermined position, comprising a moving means for changing the relative position between the container and the receiver means and the dropping means in a horizontal plane. The deposition material supply apparatus is configured such that the bottom surface of the receiving means is opened when the relative position of the dropping means with respect to the receiving means is at a predetermined position.

Here, in a configuration in which the container has an open bottom surface, the receiving means is disposed on the lower surface of the container, and the dropping means is disposed on the lower surface of the receiving means, the receiving means can receive and drop the vapor deposition material. The dropping means comprises a base made of a shielding surface provided with an opening through which the vapor deposition material can penetrate, and the bottom projection of the container and the opening of the base do not overlap with each other. The position of the opening of the holder determined by the moving means, the position where the vertical projection of the holder opening and the bottom of the container overlap in the moving path of the bottom surface of the container or the base opening, and the opening of the holder and the base opening The vertical projections are configured to have overlapping positions.
Further, the moving means is a rotation drive source connected to the holder, and the bottom surface of the container, the opening of the holder, and the opening of the base are arranged in a substantially concentric manner around the rotation axis of the holder.
Furthermore, the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface of the container, the opening of the holder, and the opening of the base is arranged radially about the rotation axis of the holder.
Furthermore, the vapor deposition material has a rollable shape.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vapor deposition material supply device for a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus for depositing a vapor deposition material disposed in a vacuum chamber on a substrate surface, wherein at least one of a plurality of deposited vapor deposition materials is stacked. One magazine, a magazine rack for placing at least one magazine directly above the opening for receiving and dropping the vapor deposition material accommodated in the magazine, and a holder provided on the lower surface of the magazine rack with an opening for dropping the vapor deposition material on the shielding surface A base disposed on the lower surface of the holder and provided with an opening for dropping the deposition material on the shielding surface, a relative position between the holder and the magazine rack, and a drive source that changes the relative position between the holder and the base in a horizontal plane, The magazine and base openings are in positions where the vertical projections do not overlap, and the holder opening, the bottom of the container or the base opening determined by the drive source. In dynamic routing, vertical projection overlaps the position of the opening and the magazine holder, and configured evaporation material supply device so as to have a vertical projection overlaps the position of the opening and the base of the opening of the holder.

  Here, in the first and second side surfaces, the depth at the opening of the shielding surface forming the holder was set to an integral multiple of the height of the vapor deposition material formed quantitatively.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vapor deposition material supply method in a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus for depositing a vapor deposition material disposed inside a vacuum chamber on a substrate surface, wherein at least one accommodation means for accumulating a plurality of vapor deposition materials, the accommodation means Receiving means for receiving at least one deposition material from the receiving means, dropping means for dropping the deposition material from the receiving means, and receiving means, receiving means or dropping means in the horizontal direction In a vapor deposition material supply apparatus comprising a moving means for moving, a step of stacking a plurality of vapor deposition materials formed in a fixed amount on the storage means, changing the positional relationship between the container and the receiving means, and changing the positional relationship between the container and the receiving means, Changing the positional relationship between the receiving means and the dropping means, and the step of dropping at least one vapor deposition material, the step of receiving the dropped vapor deposition material, It is an evaporation material supply method comprising the step of dropping an evaporation material by opening the bottom of the receiving means in the constant positional relationship. Further, the moving means may move the receiving means.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the vapor deposition material supply apparatus according to any one of the first and second aspects is provided in a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus that deposits a vapor deposition material disposed in a vacuum chamber on a substrate surface. .

  Since the vapor deposition material supply mechanism of the present invention can mount a large amount of vapor deposition material, it is possible to ensure the supply of vapor deposition material for thick film or continuous processing, improving productivity and working efficiency. It has an effect on improvement. In addition, since the vapor deposition material is quantitatively supplied, it contributes to the film thickness management by the vapor deposition amount and the vapor deposition material management.

An embodiment of the vapor deposition material supply means according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
1 is a schematic perspective view of a vapor deposition material supply mechanism, FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the mechanism.
The mechanism shown in FIG. 1 includes a magazine 4 in which a plurality of vapor deposition materials 5 are stacked and stored, a magazine rack 1 on which the plurality of magazines 4 are placed, a holder 2 disposed below the magazine rack 1, and a lower portion of the holder 2. It is comprised by the motor 11 which is the drive source of the base 3 and the holder 2 which are arrange | positioned.

  The magazine rack 1, the holder 2, and the base 3 are provided with openings 6, 7, and 9 for dropping a vapor deposition material disposed immediately above. The opening 6 provided in the magazine rack 1 and the opening 9 provided in the base 3 are arranged at positions where the vertical projections do not overlap, and the vertical projection of the magazine rack opening 6 is based on the base shielding surface. 10 is shielded. The holder 2 is driven and controlled so that the position of the opening 7 can coincide with either the magazine rack opening 6 or the base opening 9.

  In the figure, the motor 11 rotates the holder 2, and the magazine rack opening 6, the holder opening 7, and the base opening 9 are radially arranged on the circumference of the rotation center axis AA '. In the figure, the magazine rack 1 is provided with a plurality of openings 6 and the holder 2 and the base 3 are provided with one opening 7, 9. The number of the openings 6, 7, 9 may be appropriately selected. A locking claw 13 is provided on the side wall 12 of the magazine 4, and the magazine 4 is placed on the magazine rack 1 by locking the locking claw 13 in the magazine rack opening 6. Since the magazine 4 has no bottom plate and the bottom surface is open, the holder 2 is located when the holder shielding surface 8 is located directly below, and the base shielding surface 10 is located when the holder opening 7 is located directly below. The vapor deposition material 5 is accommodated. The magazine rack 1 can have the same number of magazines 4 as the number of magazine rack openings 6. However, in order to simplify the explanation, in the figure, two magazines 4 are mounted, one of which is a magazine A and the other is a magazine B. To do. The holder opening 7 can be positioned directly below an arbitrary magazine rack opening 6 by rotational driving by the motor 11. When the holder opening 7 is disposed directly below the magazine rack opening 6, the magazine 4 placed immediately above the magazine rack opening 6. The vapor deposition material 5 inside is vertically dropped in the magazine rack 1 and the holder 2 and supported by the base shielding surface 10.

  The depth d of the hole formed by the holder opening 7 and the base shielding surface 10 is designed to be a value that approximates an integral multiple of the height of the vapor deposition material 5 accommodated in the magazine 4. Thereby, since the upper surface of the vapor deposition material 5 accommodated in the holder opening 7 substantially coincides with the holder shielding surface 8, the holder 2 becomes a uniform shielding surface with respect to the magazine 4, and the holder 2 can be driven smoothly. It becomes possible. In the embodiment, since the depth d of the hole is substantially matched with the diameter l of the vapor deposition material 5, one vapor deposition material 5 located at the lowest stage of the magazine 4 is accommodated inside the hole. The number of 5 may be plural. In the embodiment, since the vapor deposition material 5 having a cylindrical shape is used, the vapor deposition material inside the holder opening 7 can be smoothly rolled. However, the shape of the vapor deposition material 5 is not limited to this, and a polygonal prism is used. Or spherical shape. However, it is desirable that the vapor deposition material 5 has a rollable shape. By adapting the magazine 4 and the holder 2 to the shape of the vapor deposition material, it is possible to cope with various evaporation sources.

The operation of the mechanism will be described below.
First, the magazine 4 is set in the magazine rack 1 with the holder shielding surface 8 positioned immediately below the magazine rack opening 6, and the vapor deposition material 5 is stacked in the magazine 4 with the holder shielding surface 8 as a bottom plate (see FIG. 3). Next, the holder 2 is driven by the motor 11 and the holder opening 7 is positioned immediately below the magazine B. As a result, the vapor deposition material 5 located at the lowest stage among the vapor deposition materials 5 accommodated in the magazine 4 is accommodated in the holder opening 7. When the holder 2 is further driven in a state where the vapor deposition material 5 is accommodated in the holder opening 7 (shown by b in FIG. 3), even when the holder opening 7 is positioned directly below the magazine A (at c in FIG. 3). The vapor deposition material 5 accommodated in the opening 7 acts as a bottom plate of the magazine A, so that the vapor deposition material 5 in the magazine A is held in the magazine A. When supplying the vapor deposition material 5, if the holder 2 is further driven and the holder opening 7 is positioned directly above the base opening 9, the vapor deposition material 5 accommodated in the holder opening 7 is discharged from the base opening 9 (FIG. Indicated by d in 3). The base opening 9 may be disposed immediately above a desired vapor deposition material discharge position.

  When all of the vapor deposition material 5 in the magazine B is supplied, even if the holder opening 7 is located immediately below the magazine B, the vapor deposition material 5 is not accommodated in the holder opening 7, but the holder opening 7 is located directly below the magazine A. Then, since the vapor deposition material 5 accommodated in the magazine A is accommodated in the holder opening 7, the vapor deposition material 5 in the magazine A is sequentially supplied thereafter. The above operation may be repeated to sequentially discharge the vapor deposition material 5 positioned at the lowest level in the magazine 4.

  In the embodiment, the magazine 4 is arranged on the circumference and the holder 2 is driven to rotate. However, the magazine 4 may be arranged on a straight line and the holder 2 may be driven linearly. In the embodiment, a drive source is connected to the holder 2. However, since the magazine rack 1, the holder 2, and the base 3 may be driven relatively, the holder 2 is fixed and driven to the magazine rack 1 and the base 3. Means such as connecting sources may be selected.

  Since the present invention is configured to use the fall of the vapor deposition material 5 due to its own weight, it contributes to the simplification of the mechanism, and the area occupied by the vapor deposition material supply mechanism in the vacuum chamber can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. It becomes.

FIG. 4 shows an outline of a vacuum deposition apparatus equipped with the deposition material supply mechanism 30 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 as an example.
The apparatus shown in the figure has a preparation chamber 20, a film formation chamber 21, and a take-out chamber 22. Each vacuum chamber is partitioned by gate valves 24 and 25, and is provided with independent exhaust means (not shown). A substrate transfer means (not shown) carries the non-film-formed substrate 23 from the preparation chamber 20 to the film formation chamber 21 and carries the substrate 23 after film formation from the film formation chamber 21 to the take-out chamber 22. Can perform continuous film formation while maintaining a high vacuum state. The evaporation source position 29 and the film formation position face the film formation chamber 21, and the vapor deposition material 5 is disposed at the evaporation source position 29, and the substrate 23 is disposed at the film formation position. In the evaporation source position 29, the evaporation material may be heated and evaporated by electron beam heating, but in this figure, the evaporation material accommodated in the resistance heating container is heated and melted and evaporated. A shutter 26 for shielding the vapor deposition material 2 is disposed between the substrate evaporation sources. A resistance heating unit 28 is disposed at the evaporation source position 29, and a vapor deposition material supply mechanism 30 and a conveyance mechanism 27 that conveys the vapor deposition material supplied from the vapor deposition material supply mechanism 30 to the evaporation source position are provided. As a result, the vapor deposition material 5 can be sequentially supplied to the evaporation source position 29 without opening the vacuum chamber. The transport mechanism 27 shown in the figure is a rotating body connected to a rotational drive source, and is discharged from the base opening 9 by driving around the center of a circle connecting the area immediately below the base opening 9 and the evaporation source position 29. The vapor deposition material 5 is conveyed to the evaporation source position 29.

  In the case of performing vapor deposition using the apparatus shown in the figure, first, the vacuum degree of the preparation chamber 20 and the film formation chamber 21 is made equal, the gate valve 24 is opened, and an undeposited substrate 23 is transferred from the preparation chamber 20 to the film formation chamber 21. Carry it in and place it at the deposition position. After the substrate 23 is loaded, the gate valve 24 is closed, and the vapor deposition material 5 supplied from the vapor deposition material supply mechanism is placed at the evaporation source position 29 by the transport mechanism. The resistance heating unit 28 is energized to raise the temperature of the vapor deposition material 5 to the evaporation temperature. When the shutter 26 is opened, the vapor deposition material 5 scatters in the vacuum chamber and is deposited on the substrate 23 to form a thin film. When the film thickness reaches the target value, the shutter 26 is closed and the resistance heating unit 28 is stopped. Next, the gate valve 25 is opened, the film formation substrate 23 on which the thin film is formed is carried out to the take-out chamber 22 evacuated to a vacuum level equal to that of the film formation chamber 21, and the gate valve 25 is closed. Subsequently, the gate valve 24 is opened, and the undeposited substrate 23 is carried from the preparation chamber 20 evacuated to a vacuum level equal to that of the film formation chamber 21 and placed at the film formation position. Further, the vapor deposition material 5 is supplied to the evaporation source position 29 using the vapor deposition material supply mechanism 30 and the transport mechanism 27. Film formation is performed in the same manner as described above, and a substrate transfer mechanism (not shown) takes out the substrate 23 after film formation to the take-out chamber 22, sequentially supplies the non-film formation substrate 23 to the film formation position, and repeats the above operation.

  By mounting the vapor deposition material supply mechanism of the present invention on the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus, it becomes possible to remarkably increase the amount of vapor deposition material that can be supplied into the vacuum chamber, thereby increasing the number of processes for continuous vapor deposition or thick film vapor deposition. Productivity can be significantly improved. In addition, since a solid vapor deposition material can be quantitatively supplied, in an apparatus using a resistance heating evaporation source, it is possible to contribute to the stability of the vapor deposition rate in the first half of the film formation and to improve the film formation accuracy. Furthermore, by performing a quantitative supply of the vapor deposition material, it is possible to easily confirm the amount of the material used from the number of times of supply. This is particularly useful when an expensive metal such as Au is used as the vapor deposition material.

This invention vapor deposition material supply mechanism schematic perspective view The present invention vapor deposition material supply mechanism schematic exploded view The present invention vapor deposition material supply mechanism schematic cross-sectional view Schematic diagram of vacuum deposition equipment Vibration feeder schematic

Explanation of symbols

1 Magazine rack
2 Holder
3 base
4 Magazine
5 Vapor deposition material
6 opening
7 opening
8 Shielding surface
9 opening
10 Shielding surface
11 Motor
12 Side wall
13 Locking claw
20 Preparation room
21 Deposition chamber
22 Extraction room
23 Deposition substrate
24 Gate valve
25 Gate valve
26 Shutter
27 Transport mechanism
28 Resistance heating unit
29 Evaporation source position
30 Vapor deposition material supply mechanism
40 tanks
41 Parts feeder unit
42 nozzles

Claims (4)

A vapor deposition material supply device for a vacuum vapor deposition device for depositing a vapor deposition material arranged in a vacuum chamber on a substrate surface,
An open bottom surface of a magazine for stacking a plurality of the column-shaped vapor-deposited materials formed in a fixed quantity is placed with the longitudinal direction of the column-shaped horizontal, and an opening corresponding to the longitudinal projection of the vapor-deposited material is placed. Magazine rack consisting of a shielded surface ,
A holder for receiving at least one of the vapor deposition materials, which is made of a shielding surface provided with an opening corresponding to a longitudinal projection of the vapor deposition material, and which is dropped by opening the magazine rack ;
A base comprising a shielding surface provided with an opening corresponding to a longitudinal projection of the deposition material, the base opening the opening of the holder and dropping the received deposition material; and
A rotation drive source for rotating the holder in a horizontal plane;
The opening of the magazine rack and the opening of the base are in positions where vertical projections do not overlap ,
The opening of the magazine rack is opened when the position of the holder with respect to the magazine rack is at a predetermined position, and the opening of the holder is opened when the position of the holder with respect to the base is at a predetermined position. Configured to be
In the movement path of the opening of the holder determined by the rotation drive source , a position where the vertical projection of the opening of the holder and the opening of the magazine rack overlap, and a position of the vertical projection of the opening of the holder and the opening of the base overlap. Is configured to have
Substantially concentric and radially opening of the magazine, the vapor deposition material supply apparatus, characterized in that the opening and the base opening of the holder is arranged around the rotation axis of the holder.
It is the vapor deposition material supply apparatus of Claim 1, Comprising:
The vapor deposition material supply device, wherein the vapor deposition material has a rollable shape.
The vapor deposition material supply device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The vapor deposition material supply apparatus characterized in that the depth at the opening of the shielding surface forming the holder is an integral multiple of the height when the longitudinal direction of the vapor deposition material is horizontal.
A vacuum vapor deposition apparatus for depositing a vapor deposition material disposed inside a vacuum chamber on a substrate surface,
A vacuum vapor deposition apparatus comprising the vapor deposition material supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in the vacuum chamber.

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